


hard-faced queens of misadventure

by growlery



Series: Summer Pornathon 2014 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Homeless, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Sex Work, Team Gluttony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 14:15:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2113041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/growlery/pseuds/growlery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm supposed to tell you to move," Percival says, stopping in front of the guy who's been sat on Le Fay Palace's steps for half an hour, holding a cup that has <i>FEED ELYAN FUND</i> scrawled on the front.</p><p>Percival hates this part of the job, but the guy - Elyan, presumably - just smiles. "People are stingy this end of town anyway."</p>
            </blockquote>





	hard-faced queens of misadventure

**Author's Note:**

> for summerpornathon's challenge #3, trades and professions, with some stuff i had to cut for length. title is from people help the people, because i listened to birdy's cover a lot while writing this.

"I'm supposed to tell you to move," Percival says, stopping in front of the guy who's been sat on Le Fay Palace's steps for half an hour, holding a cup that has _FEED ELYAN FUND_ scrawled on the front.

Percival hates this part of the job, but the guy - Elyan, presumably - just smiles. "People are stingy this end of town anyway."

Percival doesn't know what to say to that, but as Elyan trudges past, he drops some change into his cup.

*

Elyan's sitting on the steps when Percival gets in for his shift the next day. He gets up when he sees Percival approaching, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"You don't have to do that," Percival says, too quickly. "If you sit just there, the cameras can't see you."

Elyan smiles. "Not gonna make me move again?"

Percival was on the streets for a while before he got this job, but he doesn't know how to say that without sounding like a wanker.

"My job's to make sure nobody hassles the dancers or the bar staff," he says finally. "You're not hassling anyone."

*

The Morrisons around the corner is doing a two-for-one deal on sandwiches, and Percival doesn't even think before grabbing a slightly nicer version of the one he's seen Elyan scarf down a few times.

"It was free," Percival says as he hands it over, before the hostility can build in Elyan's face. 

"That doesn't-"

"My break's nearly over," Percival adds, backing away. "I need to go."

"Hey, _fuck_ you," Elyan yells after him, but he's laughing.

*

"I thought about busking," Elyan says, watching the girl with a guitar at the far end of the street, "but, sadly, singing is not among my many talents."

Percival huffs a laugh. "That's not stopping her."

"No, seriously," Elyan says, shaking his head. "Gwen says I sound like a dying animal, and she's diplomatic for a living."

"Gwen?" Percival says, but carefully, because Elyan's face has shuttered, his gaze fixed on the mostly empty cup in his hands. 

"My sister," he says, on an exhale, and Percival just says, "Ah," soft. 

"I had all these ideas when I left. Things I'd see, stuff I'd do." Elyan shivers in his jacket, leans into Percival's side. "I just made a few bad choices, you know? And now I can't go back."

Percival hums, bringing an arm up to rub Elyan's back, and doesn't think about how Elyan really needs something warmer for the winter. 

"It's not that I think they wouldn't have me," Elyan continues. "I know they would. I just... can't. Fuck, I know it's stupid."

"Nah," Percival says. "That makes total sense."

*

Percival honestly likes his job, likes the club and the people who work there, but he could do with fewer creeps to deal with.

He drags the latest one out, debating the merits of kicking the guy in the ribs a few times. He'd got a little too handsy during a dance from Gwaine, had grabbed Gwaine by his hair when he just laughed and tried to make his escape. Percival wants to make him _bleed_. 

Elyan's still on the steps, though, so Percival settles for a hard shove in the small of the creep's back, which sends him stumbling forward right into Elyan. 

"Sorry, love," he says, darting a look back at Percival as he steadies himself. "Some people just don't have any manners."

"That's all right," Elyan says, in this voice Percival's never heard him use before. The creep's still holding onto him, one arm settled comfortably around Elyan's shoulders. Elyan doesn't even look like he wants him to let go. 

And that's- fine, whatever. Percival absolutely has no right to an opinion on what's happening here. He's just going to not have an opinion somewhere else, like inside, where he still has a fucking job to do. 

Except he has to escort another guy off the premises fifteen minutes later, and as he's heading back in, there's a muffled cry from the alley next to the club. Percival moves on instinct, towards the sound, ready to unleash hell and-

"Shit," he says, too loud. 

Elyan has the creep from earlier up against a wall, one hand on his mouth and the other between their bodies, moving in the same rhythm as the rocking of his arse. Percival expects them to stop, or yell at him, or something, but Elyan's grunting like maybe he's about to come and, shit. _Shit_. 

Percival stares hard at Elyan's ratty jeans, puddled around his ankles, and gets out, "Sorry, I'm just gonna-" before he flees. 

*

Elyan isn't there when Percival gets in the next day, or the next, or the next, until Percival's pretty sure he's well past not having an opinion on things Elyan does. 

*

"Your homeless guy's back to sitting on our steps again," Isolde tells him, just as they're finishing up the handover for her shift. 

"He's not my- wait, what?"

Percival's moving before Isolde can say anything else, her laughter following him out the door.

"You're okay," Percival blurts when he sees Elyan, and immediately feels ridiculous. 

"I got enough out of that guy you threw at me to stay in a B&B for a few nights, and naturally I jumped at the chance of showers and hot food." Elyan's smile turns uncertain. "Didn't realise I'd be missed."

"Got used to you keeping our steps warm," Percival says lightly, and Elyan laughs like Percival startled it out of him. 

"Come on," he says, grabbing Percival by the wrist to pull himself up. "You're not working and I have enough to buy us coffee, or something. Let's celebrate."

Grinning, Percival squeezes Elyan's hand and lets himself be led away.


End file.
